Story of My Life
by firebenderAnnabeth
Summary: Annabeth is looking through some photographs and comes across one that is special to her.


**So this was my secret santa gift to the wonderful asexual-athena! She had wanted some Luke, Thalia and Annabeth and this is what I managed to get out. Hope you enjoy!**

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There was a bittersweet tingle in the air around Annabeth. It was her last night as a camper at Camp Half Blood and she was finishing up packing her little niche of space in the Athena Cabin. Over the years her space got more crowded as polaroids and kodaks gathered on her walls above her bed and desk. Some covered in more dust and having a more vintage feel than others. Old blueprints and colored drawings from when she was a little girl were tacked onto her walls too. Whenever she needed some inspiration she would often find herself looking back at those memories. Now as she was slowly peeling each photo off one by one, Annabeth felt like she was tearing a piece of herself away as well.

Most of her possessions were already boxed up and in the Big House so it would make the move easier. New Athens was underway, because the idea of New Rome was great, but Annabeth didn't want to live across the country so far away from her home. After many negotiations with Chiron and the gods, the groundbreaking was set for in a few months. For now though, Percy and her were just going to try and live a normal life. Both were already in college, attending Stony Brook University, which is close to Camp in case their demigod lives got in the way. But it was time to move on from this chapter in her life. No matter how hard it will be.

Of course she'll come back; she'll always come back to her home. But she won't ever be a camper again. She'll probably become a teacher of Ancient Greek for the campers, and be a mentor to the one's who seek her help. When New Athens is finally complete and livable, she and Percy will definitely live there, right by Camp under the protection of the magical borders. It was still going to be hard leaving Camp as a camper, and the next time she came back she would be an adult, a teacher, a mentor. She had lived most of her life behind these borders, had so many precious memories that she wouldn't ever forget. So many friends, younger and older than her. She had found her first sanctuary in this place, and came with her first family even if only two of them had made it through.

Annabeth figures this is what growing up really is. She's already been through moving in day for college last year, but now she was in her twenties and finally growing up. And it's difficult and it hurts a little, but everyone goes through this. Stepping up from one stair to the next in her life. Opening up a new chapter.

One by one, as Annabeth took all the photos off, she would just look at them and reminisce the memories behind them. It might make it harder for her to move out, but she couldn't help it. They all flickered to life in her mind like an old fashioned home video, which made her both warm and a little sad at the same time. She would cherish all of them with all her heart. They often helped her pull her out of her post-tartarus induced slumps. Reminded her that she can still have happy memories in not only the past, but in the present and future as well. She had a strong support group of friends who loved her unconditionally and she would be forever grateful for that.

As she started peeling off the layers, and she was down to only a few, one that looked much older caught her eye. She carefully peeled it off her wall, making sure that she didn't rip or bend it in anyway. It was covered in a very thin layer of dust which she wiped away in one swift stroke of her hand. The quality was old, the colors faded after so many years. But in her mind, the photograph was clear as day. Her breath caught as she took in the smiling faces of her younger self and her first guardians. She felt her heart rate go up a hundred percent and a dull stab of pain in her chest. She could feel the tears threatening to fall onto the photograph blurring the picture a little. She had completely forgotten this photo had existed, it was piled under so many others that she simply forgot. It was one of the first pictures she had tacked onto her wall when she arrived at Camp.

And now it was one of the last ones she took off her wall.

Annabeth refused to look away at the picture. She was soaking in every single detail of the photo, reminiscing about the better times before Thalia died, before Luke's betrayal and Thalia leaving for the Hunters and the two back to back wars she had to fight in and all the baggage that came along with that.

The picture had been taken in the Palisades Mall, right around Christmas time. They had just crossed the border from New Jersey into New York, and Annabeth had insisted that they celebrate Thalia's birthday. The punk had vehemently denied celebrating her birthday, even to Annabeth's seven year old self. But had compromised that they'd throw a small birthday party for her, who missed her seventh one with her family. Annabeth had been so excited that she was able to have a little party with her two heroes of her childhood.

" _Okay Bethie, we're going to take you to the toy store and we're going to play around and have so much fun okay?" Luke said ruffling her hair._

 _Annabeth jumped up and down squealing with delight. Luke and Thalia shared a look with smiles on their faces seeing the excitement in Annabeth. Even if they had to leave in an hour, the hour of happiness they would give her is worth it. She was holding Luke's hand tightly, dragging him towards the toy store on the third level of the mall._

 _When they entered, there were parents running all around the store trying to get last minute gifts for their children for Christmas. The shelves were starting to dwindle out, leaving only old and non-desirable toys behind. But Annabeth didn't care as she bounded up and down the aisles with a skip in her step taking every toy down and pressing the_ Try Me! _buttons. Eventually Luke and Thalia caught up to her. She was already running away to grab another toy. She then came back holding something with her gray eyes widened in awe._

" _What's this?" she asked._

 _Luke walked up to her and looked at the toy. When he realized what it was he let out a soft chuckle and gently took it from her hands. Even though it was still wrapped in cardboard, he grabbed the handle and stretched it out in front of him._

" _This Bethie, is a lightsaber," he told her._

 _Her head cocked to the side and her eyebrows scrunched together in her confused face. Thalia covered up a smirk under her hand which Luke just arched an eyebrow in amusement._

" _A lightsaber?" she asked testing out the word._

 _Luke just mhmmed in response. He switched to another position, with both his hands holding the handle and bringing it above his head like he was about to swing a baseball bat._

" _It's a weapon that Jedi use to defeat the evil in the galaxy," he explained._

" _What are Jedi?" she asked getting excited now._

" _They are the keepers of peace in the galaxy. Like how we're heroes fighting monsters. They fight the evil to protect everyone."_

 _A grin broke out on her face. "Are you and Thalia Jedi?"_

 _The two of the exchanged glances deciding on what to tell the little seven year old in front of them. Thalia had her arms crossed and just shrugged her shoulders. Luke turned back with a smile on his face._

" _Yeah, except we don't have lightsabers. Those are way too cool for us. But you're a Jedi too Bethie, and I think this lightsaber is cool enough for you."_

 _With that he handed over the blue lightsaber back to Annabeth who mimicked the moves Luke had just done. She was turning on the sound effects and lights on and off again swinging it around._

" _Are you seriously thinking of getting that for her? We don't have enough money," Thalia whispered._

" _I'll just steal it. Not a big deal, we steal stuff all the time," Luke responded._

 _Thalia's blue eyes were wide and she looked like she was thinking he was the biggest idiot she'd ever met._

" _Yeah food and small shit from convenience stores. Not a toy from a mall with cameras everywhere!"_

 _Luke finally took his eyes off of Annabeth and turned around to Thalia. He put his hands on her shoulders looking her directly in the eyes._

" _If it makes Bethie happy, I'll gladly sneak it out. There's tons of people going in and out right now. It'll be fine I swear."_

" _Damnit Luke you better be right."_

 _And he was. They were easily able to sneak out with the toy. Once they were far away from the store, Luke and Thalia cut the lightsaber out of the cardboard box and Annabeth was able to grip it fully. She swung it around making the sound effects with her mouth with her gray eyes bright and happy. Luke swung his arm around her shoulder._

" _Let's get you a great birthday lunch okay? Anything you want we'll get it."_

" _Okay!"_

 _All three of them sat down at a table in the middle of the food court happily eating. Annabeth's new toy lightsaber was in her lap where she deemed it safe. Thalia and Luke had sang a tone deaf version of happy birthday to her, even though her birthday was in July, not December. But she didn't care. It was the happiest she'd felt in a long time. Luke seemed to have an aha moment and went digging in his backpack for something._

" _What are you looking for?" Thalia asked taking a bite out her Whopper from Burger King._

 _Luke let out a sound of triumph and took out a small disposable camera and held it high up. His blue eyes were bright and there was a smile on his face._

" _I knew stealing a camera would come in handy one day. This day deserves to be stored in a photograph forever. Memories are being made."_

 _He nodded his head towards Annabeth who was looking up at the two of them with bright gray eyes._

" _Thalia get in next to Bethie," he instructed._

 _She got up and did what she was told and sat on the left side of Annabeth._

" _What about you?" she asked._

" _I'm taking the picture, I won't be in it."_

 _Thalia shook her head no like she wouldn't stand for it. She scanned the food court that had people sitting and milling around getting from one place to another. Finally she found a woman who looked like she'd be nice. She had long brown hair and kind blue eyes. She only had one bag in her hand and she seemed to be getting ready to leave. Thalia called over to her._

" _Ma'am!"_

 _The woman looked over and smiled before walking towards them. She had a kind smile, and she seemed like the mother figure all of them were so desperately looking for._

" _How may I help you three today?" she kindly asked._

 _Thalia put her hand on Annabeth's head which caused her to scrunch up her little nose in protest._

" _It's her birthday today and we were hoping you could take a photo of all three of us?"_

 _The woman dropped her bag and clasped her hands together. Her whole face lit up._

" _Oh of course I will!"_

 _Luke gave a small smile and handed the camera over to the woman. She walked to the other side of the table and Luke sat down on the other side of Annabeth with his arm around her shoulder. The woman put the camera up to her face._

" _Okay, ready? 1, 2, 3! Say, Happy Birthday!"_

 _All three of them gave big smiles as the flash went off. The woman had a big smile as she handed the camera back to Luke._

" _You three looked so cute! Well happy birthday and Merry Christmas!" she said picking up her one bag and walking away._

" _Yeah, Merry Christmas indeed, and happy late birthday Bethie" Luke muttered placing a kiss on Annabeth's cheek._

Annabeth blinked and she realized that tears had fallen from her eyes and onto the faded photograph. She sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes. One had fallen on each of their smiling faces. It was a shame the lightsaber had broken only a few days later after a monster attack and she was forced to throw it away. She gently wiped each tear off of their faces one by one, clearing up the picture again.

It was a memory from so long ago, buried deeply inside of her mind. But once she saw the happy glow her little family, it was like ripping a band aid off. Suddenly all the details were so vividly clear it felt like it was only yesterday.

Time is funny like that though. The days go by slow but the years go fast. Annabeth blinked and suddenly she was twenty something and living her own life. That thought made another round of tears come out. It was hard to handle how quickly time had flown in her short life. Even though Luke's been dead for years, she still feels like he's with her somehow. Always watching over and protecting her. Maybe as a penance for his sins. She doesn't really know, but it wouldn't surprise her. Basically nothing surprises her anymore. Life of a demigod will do that to a person.

As she collected herself she took one last glance before gently placing the photo inside with the rest of them and moving on to the next memory.

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 **Hope you liked it! Reviews are encouraged! Thanks guys and gals :)**


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